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The tip of the dagger is aimed towards King Duncan. Lady Macbeth devises a plan to frame King Duncan’s chamberlains by smearing the king’s blood all over them as they drunkenly sleep.Īfter briefly running into Banquo and his son, Macbeth has a vision of a dagger floating before him in the air. When Macbeth later reveals that he does not wish to murder King Duncan, Lady Macbeth verbally berates him until he complies. She informs her husband of her intentions and begins planning. Learning her husband’s prophecy, Lady Macbeth is wild with lust for her husband to become king and resolves that murder is the best course of action. Macbeth notes that Malcom stands between himself and the throne. The witches vanish, leaving Macbeth and Banquo stunned.īack at the palace, King Duncan announces the changes and reveals that he intends to make his son, Malcom, heir to the throne. As for Banquo, they say that he is “lesser than Macbeth, and greater” and although he will never hold the throne, a long line of his descendants will. Macbeth asks for more information and they declare that he will also one day be king of Scotland. The king is informed that the thane of Cawdor led a traitorous army against Scotland and the king orders his execution and Macbeth should be awarded his title.Īs Macbeth and Banquo make their way back to the king’s palace in a storm, they encounter the three witches who reveal that Macbeth is about to discover that he has been appointed thane of Cawdor. King Duncan learns that his two generals, Macbeth and Banquo led valiant battles against invaders and successfully defended Scotland with acts of great bravery. The play opens with a storm raging in the Scottish moors, three old witches plan to meet Macbeth after his battle in order to deliver a prophecy. Because it is so jarring and fascinating, it has shocked audiences for centuries and is likely not going out of rotation any time soon. Macbeth differs from Shakespeare’s other tragedies which explore intellectually complicated dilemmas by exploring the rapid descent into madness that results from greed and power. To this day, Macbeth remains a wildly popular drama. It is a complex and emotionally intense play that gained wide popularity when it was first performed. Macbeth is Shakespeare’s shortest and most violent play that speaks to Scottish bravery. Overall, it is believed that Shakespeare wrote the play to pay respects to the Scottish historical background in the English sovereignty which allowed the play to have great success in the English royal court. Furthermore, the character Banquo is a supportive nod to James I family’s claims to be related to the historical Banquo. Shakespeare’s focus on Scottish royalty is considered to be an homage to his friend.

James I had been James VI of Scotland before he succeeded to the English throne. As one of his most recognizable tragedies, Macbeth helped to define the genre and reflects Shakespeare’s close relationship with James I, king of England. Shakespeare’s legacy on the Western literary canon is upheld in this tragic play. Macbeth is a timeless classic from one of the most widely read playwrights of all time. Major Symbols: Blood, dark/gloomy/stormy weather. Once Macbeth has been made king, political mistrust adds another layer of conflict. As he returns home, he encounters three witches who deliver a prophecy.Ĭonflict: Lady Macbeth urges Macbeth to resort to murder to make the prophecy come true. Motifs: Hallucinations, acts of violence, prophecyĮxposition: Macbeth is a military general who has recently seen significant success in battle.